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Everton fixture theories tested – Goodison Derby first, Newcastle dates and Arsenal fear
We’re told that the Premier League fixture computer generates its sequences but some Everton fans still think they can spot some reoccurring patterns so let’s put some theories to the test.
The first Merseyside Derby of the season is always at Goodison Park
Well it won’t be in 2023/24 with Everton going to Anfield on October 21 and Liverpool at Goodison on March 16 but for the previous three seasons the Blues were always at home first. For three years in a row before that, Anfield went first but the thought process probably goes back to the period between 2003/04 to 2013/14 it went Goodison then Anfield for 11 straight seasons!
It should also be noted that over the last 20 seasons, Goodison has gone first on 15 occasions so that is three quarters of the time.
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Everton v Newcastle United won’t be played at a weekend
Perhaps the Magpies love playing at Goodison Park under the lights? They certainly did last season when they secured a 4-1 victory on April 27 that had many Blues fearing their struggling side might be Championship-bound.
Indeed other than the 2020/21 season when the fixture was played behind closed doors due to coronavirus restrictions, Newcastle have been handed seven consecutive visits to Everton on week nights (Wednesday, Monday, Wednesday, Tuesday, two Thursdays and now Wednesday December 5. For the third straight season, both fixtures between the clubs are on midweek dates with the Blues trip to St James’ Park on Wednesday April 3 after their two previous jaunts were on a Tuesday and a Wednesday.
Do Premier League bosses in London think “well it’s all the north?” Travelling between Merseyside and Tyneside is at least a six-hour round trip.
Beware May days at Arsenal
Unfortunately this one really does stack up. Everton’s record away to Arsenal has garnered their lowest points per game ratio of any Premier League fixture so they typically struggle whenever they go there but it’s particularly bad in the final month of the season.
Like a year ago when the Blues were thrashed 5-1 by the Gunners on the final day, Sean Dyche’s men better hope that they’ve already secured their top flight status for another season when they close the campaign against Mikel Arteta’s side on May 19. Everton have lost all five previous Premier League visits to Arsenal in May with previous defeats coming in 2017 (3-1); 2008 (1-0); 2005 (7-0) and 1998 (4-0).
Home and away
If you start the season at home, you should really finish it away or vice versa? So you would think but only 11 out of Everton’s last 20 Premier League campaigns have followed such a pattern of equality.
Last season was one of six occasions that the Blues have started and finished the campaign at Goodison over this period along with 2015/16; 2011/12; 2009/10; 2007/08 and 2005/06. In contrast they’ve also had a hat-trick of seasons that both began and ended on the road – 2020/21; 2018/19 and 2013/14 although it must be noted that the first of those was the ‘lockdown’ season played mostly behind closed doors because of coronavirus restrictions, although they did finish in front of a limited number of spectators at champions Manchester City.
With Everton hosting Fulham in their 2023/24 opener on August 12, 14 of their last 20 seasons have started at Goodison but with their aforementioned upcoming trip to Arsenal on the final day means they’ll have only finished at home on nine out of the last 20 occasions.
Boxing clever
Everton’s December 26 fixture at home to Manchester City ensures equality with 10 out of their last 20 Boxing Day games being scheduled at home. Two were postponed, the trip to Burnley in 2021 due to a coronavirus outbreak and the proposed home match against Birmingham City in 2010 due to frozen pipes bursting at Goodison Park, so those cancellations also even each other out.
Over the past 20 seasons, the Blues have twice had the ‘hat-trick’ of home fixtures at the start, Boxing Day and finish of a campaign. These came last season (Chelsea; Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bournemouth) and in 2007/08 (Wigan Athletic; Bolton Wanderers; Newcastle United).
Everton have also had a couple of away trebles, in the aforementioned lockdown season of 2020/21 (Tottenham Hotspur; Sheffield United; Manchester City) and 2018/19 (Wolverhampton Wanderers; Burnley; Tottenham Hotspur).
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